MEC instructs officers to apply zero tolerance after carnage

KwaZulu-Natal acting MEC for transport, community safety and liaison Peggy Nkonyeni has instructed traffic officers to apply zero tolerance to reduce lawlessness on the roads.

The instruction comes after three firefighters and four other people were killed in an accident on Monday in Port Shepstone.

The deaths in the firefighters' accident bring the number of road deaths in the province to 20 in only three days.

Shortly after the accident Nkonyeni instructed traffic law enforcement officers in KwaZulu-Natal to intensify enforcement and show no mercy for those who flaunt the road rules. "We have been faithfully carrying out our duty as law enforcement officers, but if motorists flaunt the rules we must intensify our efforts," said Nkonyeni.

Firefighters; Michael Ndovela, 22, Alex Sibusiso Ngcobo, 32, Krinesh Moodley, 24, were killed in the accident while on their way to attend a call.

While Moodley was buried on Tuesday, Ndovela and Ngcobo will be buried next week.

The crash happened after the fire engine collided with a bus on an intersection on the R102 in Port Shepstone.

The firefighters who were based at the Hibiscus Coast Protection Services died instantly and their colleague, Roy Khawula, is in a critical condition in hospital.

"These were young men who died," said Netcare 911 paramedic Chris Botha at the funeral of Moodley.

"Moodley joined us only six months ago. It is such a tragedy."

"People in this province must understand that we have been having carnages on our roads not only for the past few days," said road traffic inspectorate spokesman Colin Govender.

"But for the past few years and in order to bring this to and end, it is best that drivers do not flaunt the rules of the road."